Why Traffic Collisions Are More Deadly for Older Pedestrians

Growing Vulnerability on American Streets

On an August morning two years ago, Meredith Melville was crossing Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, California, to meet a friend at a cafe. While in the crosswalk, she noticed a car some distance away. Perhaps she misjudged its speed, she said, because she’d walked only partway across the street when the car, a Toyota sedan, came bearing down on her. “She should have seen me,” Melville said of the driver, recalling the moment before impact sent her flying through the air.

Passersby came to help, and police and an ambulance arrived quickly. Soon Melville, a retired teacher, was at a hospital being treated for multiple fractures. Surgeons replaced her right hip and repaired her broken right elbow, and doctors advised she would probably need a knee replacement soon as well. After a week’s hospitalization and a month in rehabilitation, Melville, then 73, went home in a wheelchair.

Physical therapists helped her gradually progress to a walker and then a cane, but “it was a long process,” she said. She still contends with back and knee pain and hasn’t been able to resume the hiking and backpacking she loved. Still, when people say she’s lucky, Melville agrees-it could have been a lot worse, and it often is for older pedestrians struck by vehicles.

Alarming Statistics Reveal Persistent Danger

Older pedestrians, like Melville, aren’t injured by motor vehicles at a greater rate than younger ones, according to 2023 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. But they’re more likely to die. The death rate for pedestrians over 65 is higher than the average for all ages. Nearly 8,200 pedestrians 65 or older were injured that year-likely an undercount because not all serious crashes and injuries show up in police reports.

More than 1,500 older pedestrians died in 2023 alone. And the picture is not improving. Between 2008 and 2024, the fatality rate for pedestrians 70 and older was not only higher than the average for all ages but has remained stubbornly flat, showing little progress despite nationwide safety initiatives.

Why Older Pedestrians Face Greater Risk

Researchers point out that older pedestrians remain more vulnerable to collisions for several interconnected reasons. “They move through intersections at a slower pace,” said Andrew Rundle, an epidemiologist at Columbia University. Impaired hearing or vision can make them less apt to notice approaching vehicles or respond to traffic signals in time to reach safety.

Because reaction time slows with age, older pedestrians are less able to evade a car that’s turning, speeding or ignoring a signal. Physically, they have weaker bone structure and less resilient tissue, making them more susceptible to serious injury or death when struck. What might result in bruises and minor fractures for a younger person can prove catastrophic for someone over 70.

Older Americans are also increasingly likely to be outdoors on foot, walking for exercise, errands, and social activities. This growing presence on sidewalks and crosswalks expands their exposure to traffic hazards, particularly as suburban and urban areas see rising vehicle volumes.

Vehicles Themselves Pose Heightened Threats

Trucks, big SUVs and e-bikes make roads more dangerous for all pedestrians, but especially for older adults. The shift toward larger vehicles in recent decades has dramatically increased the severity of pedestrian collisions. Higher front ends and greater vehicle mass translate directly into more forceful impacts at vulnerable body heights, particularly striking pedestrians in the chest and head rather than the legs.

Electric bicycles, while offering mobility benefits, introduce new hazards as well. These bikes travel faster than traditional bicycles and operate more quietly, giving pedestrians-especially those with hearing impairments-less warning of their approach. The combination of speed and silence can prove particularly dangerous in shared spaces like bike lanes adjacent to sidewalks.

Recent Incident Highlights Ongoing Danger

The vulnerability of older pedestrians was starkly illustrated in a recent incident in Kerrville, Texas. On Monday, Kerrville police officers responded to the McDonald’s at 600 Sidney Baker Street for a reported vehicle crash involving pedestrians in the parking lot.

“Police said the driver struck a 90-year-old woman and her 71-year-old son in the parking lot,” according to the official report.

The 90-year-old woman was taken to a San Antonio hospital with serious injuries and was listed in stable condition. Her 71-year-old son was injured and treated by EMS at the scene before being released. The driver, identified as Jessica Patterson of Kerrville, was evaluated and later arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and two counts of aggravated assault.

Path Forward Requires Multiple Interventions

Addressing the persistent danger to older pedestrians requires coordinated action across multiple fronts. Infrastructure improvements stand as a critical first step, including longer crossing times at signals, better lighting at intersections, and more visible crosswalks designed with slower walking speeds in mind. Cities implementing comprehensive safety programs have seen measurable reductions in pedestrian fatalities across all age groups.

Vehicle design standards must also evolve to prioritize pedestrian safety. Lower front-end profiles, advanced braking systems, and pedestrian detection technology can reduce both the frequency and severity of collisions. Enforcement of traffic laws, particularly those addressing speeding, distracted driving, and impaired driving, remains essential to protecting vulnerable road users.

For Melville, the journey to recovery continues. Though grateful to have survived, she represents thousands of older Americans whose lives are permanently altered by traffic collisions each year. Her story serves as a reminder that the simple act of crossing a street carries disproportionate risk for aging pedestrians-and that urgent action is needed to reverse this troubling trend.